


Impulse

by bookworm03



Series: Adult Relationships [12]
Category: Parks and Recreation
Genre: Alternate Universe, Best Friends, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Resolved Sexual Tension, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-24
Updated: 2015-11-24
Packaged: 2018-05-03 03:36:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,518
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5275040
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bookworm03/pseuds/bookworm03
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ben's in love with his best friend and he's done wasting time.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Impulse

**Author's Note:**

> Post-college AU. Ben and Leslie have been best friends since high school and have finally admitted their feelings after over a decade. 
> 
> HIGH FLUFF WARNING
> 
> This is the universe that won't die and this is probably indulgent, but it was also really fun to write so I hope people forgive me ;). 
> 
> I love all of you beautiful starfishes. Thank you for reading! Comments/kudos make my day :).

It’s…weird. 

Good weird. Awesome weird. Out of this world, can’t believe it’s actually happening weird. Leslie’s fingers are tangled with his and she’s prattling on happily about whatever notes she's made in her guidebook and trying to plan out their schedule for historical tours. 

He’s just glad she agreed to a week off work with no notice.

It’s Monday. A little over forty-eight hours since everything happened and he decided they should go away - just them for a break from Pawnee and the dramatics associated with Pawnee. He’d woken her up with the hotel confirmation and, after she’d bothered Ron at home to ask for a week off, they’d snuck into his place to get clothes. He'd started to carefully pack a few key items while Leslie had decided to empty his entire dresser into his suitcase. He'd watched her try and lift a whole drawer by herself with a delighted cackle. They’d wrestled over how much he actually _needed_ to take and how much they could get when they came back…then they made out on his bed for fifteen minutes, listened to Chris go into the shower and made a break for the door. 

On the way home she had him stop at a plaza, where she ran in and got a duplicate of her house key made. 

“ _This isn’t me putting pressure on you,_ ” she’d insisted as they drove back to her place. “ _You absolutely should’ve had a key long before now._ ” 

He’d just smiled. He agreed with her and was quite happy to rush things along as much as she saw fit. 

They spent the afternoon moving boxes in her basement so the furnace guy could actually access her furnace while they were gone. At one point he saw a very full box with his name on it in Ann’s handwriting. When he peeled back the lid curiously he found what was obviously the top half of Princess Leia’s gold bikini resting beside Indiana Jones’s hat. Leslie had jumped about three feet in the air when she noticed, yanked it away and told him to go make coffee (at five-thirty PM). 

“Is this insane?” she’d asked under a blanket with him in front of the fire watching one of Ken Burns’s documentaries she’d seen at least seven times. “I mean, this time last week I was pouting because you were in Indianapolis with…” she swallowed. “And now you’re pretty much moved in.” 

He took a sip of his wine and cuddled her closer. 

“Here’s how I see it,” he began carefully. “We both understand there was a point to…the fact is, we didn’t do what we wanted to do for a long time and maybe that’s good in the long run, but I know you better than I know anyone and I think I would know by now if I didn’t want to…be serious with you. Live with you, whatever. So maybe the logistics take some time but I feel like I have a pretty good idea of where we go from here and it doesn’t get derailed because we moved in together two days after we got together.” 

He’d dipped his head and kissed her smile lightly, fingers sliding through her hair. 

“I mean if you think about what we’re adding to what was already existing…” he pecked noisily. “We don’t do anything in the right order, but this doesn’t feel wrong.” 

Apparently he’d said the right thing because two seconds later his wine was moved and she was in his lap and kissing him sloppily, her hands on his cheeks. That’s how a lot of their conversations had ended over the last few days. Leslie was tiny, demanding and always affectionate and the combination resulted in her climbing on him and taking kisses as she saw fit. 

Not that he was complaining. 

Now, her brow’s furrowed as she writes in the margins of her guidebook. 

“Did you call Henry?” 

“Yeah,” he thumbs her hand. “We’re gonna have dinner with them tonight after we check-in. Is that okay?” 

“Mhmm, I was going to suggest if you wanted to take a detour and see Indiana’s second largest rocking chair but…” 

“I can see if he can do dinner tomorrow instead. Or you can text him. I’m sure he won’t care either way.” 

“No,” she stretches over and pecks his cheek. “Maybe we’ll see the rocking chair on the way back.” 

 Actually, it’s really not weird and that might be the weirdest part. It’s natural already, they’re interacting seamlessly like a couple that’s been together for years instead of two days. Her hand feels right in his, her sparkling eyes have been all he’s really seen for the last two days and their affection is as effortless as its always been. 

“OH! Ben! There’s a historical ghost walk! Maybe they have tickets for tomorrow night! I know it’s cold but, would you want to do that? You brought your winter coat, right? Did you bring gloves - we’ll get you some gloves. It sounds amazing and since we can’t do a river cruise…” 

He just keeps agreeing to whatever she says or suggests. He’ll be happy as long as she keeps smiling like that. 

***** 

“Hey guys!” Leslie’s glowing, her cheeks are rosy, her lipstick and scarf are both bright red and her blue eyes are bright and saturated with color. Henry turns in his fancy overcoat and flashes Leslie a grin, scooping her up and kissing her cheek. 

“How the hell are you, Knope?” he palms her neck and shoots Ben a little sideways grin. Ellie beams at Ben and hugs him lightly. She’s not a hugger, but he’s pretty sure Leslie will convert her eventually. 

“I’m so glad you guys came up - I didn’t think I’d see you before Christmas!” 

“I haven’t seen Knope since I moved,” Henry leaves his arm draped around her. “How’s the hotel?” 

Ellie smacks him abruptly. “You made them get a hotel?! We’ve got a guest room and the couch pulls out, why would you make your brother stay in a hotel - ”

“No no,” Leslie interrupts, flush creeping up the back of her neck. “We’d…prefer a hotel. Thanks. It’s right by the river and the bed is amazing and there’s a spa and a pool... It’s normally really expensive, but we got a deal because it was last minute and Ben’s an excellent negotiator…” 

Henry and Ben exchange a look as Leslie squirms away to greet Ellie. 

“Why do I feel like I’m out of the loop?” Ellie cocks an eyebrow curiously and Leslie wraps around her. 

Leslie whirls back to face Henry. “You didn’t tell her?” 

“Tell me what?” Ellie glances between them. Ben rolls his eyes and Henry snickers. 

“Tell you that I really don’t want to share a wall with them for a night, let alone five days.” 

It takes maybe five seconds for realization to flood Ellie’s face. 

“Oh my gosh, are you guys - that’s great!” Ellie beams and hugs Leslie again, tightly this time, and then hits Henry. “Don’t be crass. That’s such great news! For how long?” 

“Uh,” Ben bites his lip. “Since, Saturday around…” 

“Four AM.” 

“ _Oh,_ ” Ellie’s mouth twitches with amusement. “Goooot it.” 

“See?” Henry drawls. “A hotel is better. In fact, do you need money? I’ll give you some money if you need it - ”

“I don’t need money,” Ben takes Leslie’s hand. She’s grinning so widely he wants to kiss her and he hasn’t even done it yet when Henry makes a gagging noise. 

“Ugh.” He waggles a finger in their general direction. “You’re gonna be insufferable now.” 

“Leave them alone,” Ellie retorts crisply. “All the time, at least once a week, I swear to god, he’s like what’s wrong with Ben and Leslie, they’re a better married couple than mom and dad ever were. When’s Ben gonna do something about that? He better snatch her up before someone else realizes how awesome she is…” 

Leslie’s whole face goes red and Ben tugs her against him and kisses her temple. His brother’s cheeks are flaming too now and Ben takes a little pleasure in how easily Ellie manages to keep his ego in check. 

“I’m gonna go to the washroom,” she declares. “Leslie do you…it’s kind of hidden, do you want to…”

“Oh!” now they’re exchange a knowing look. “Yes, sure, I’ll come…you can show me where it is.” 

Ellie beams and nudges Henry with her elbow before they run off together. Ben grunts when his brother slaps him on the back. 

“Congratulaaaaations. You got your shit together.” 

“Yeah, thanks,” Ben rubs the back of his neck. 

“You got a ring yet?” 

“Good lord, it’s been two days.” 

Henry cocks an eyebrow and Ben rubs his forehead because yeah okay, they’re both thinking the same thing. He waited a long time to tell her how he felt, how much time is he going to waste pretending he’s still deciding whether or not he wants to marry her? 

Not a lot. He’s apparently been ready to marry her since he was twenty-one and everyone knows it now. 

“Fine,” he exhales. “No. Not yet. Do you - ”

“I got a guy.” 

Ben blinks. “A ring guy?” 

Henry’s teeth tug on his bottom lip and he shrugs. “I mean…yeah,” now he’s blushing again. “Not…soon, not super soon. You can go first. I’m just…getting ready to…eventually. But you…you’ve wasted more than enough time.” 

“Are you…wait, are you serious?” 

“Focus.” 

“Right, right, fuck,” Ben rubs his forehead. “Yeah, I know, you’re totally…yeah, I should…soon.” 

“You’ve basically been married without sex since college.” 

“Yeah, I get it.” 

“Which is why I’ll help you pay for a hotel or a ring or whatever, because I really don’t want to have to hear about this anymore - ”

“I _get it_.” 

“Good,” Henry grins. “She looks stupidly happy too.” 

“Yeah,” Ben rubs his cheek. “She does, doesn’t she?” 

“You should go get married on a boat or something and then just show up at Christmas and tell Mom and Dad they weren't invited to the wedding. No one would blame you and then you’d avoid the crazy.” 

Ben snorts. “I know, right?” 

“I’m serious.” 

“Uh, Christmas is in seventeen days.” 

“You’re resourceful; think about it.” Henry winks. 

Ben swallows hard as the words was over him, and he's starting to sweat through his shirt by the time Leslie and Ellie return. Leslie gives his butt a squeeze with a devilish smirk as they’re led to their table and he squawks. She cackles, and he feels instantly lighter. Fuck, he could totally marry her - tomorrow if she wanted - how insane was that?

*****

“Does anyone have any questions?” 

Leslie’s hand shoots up. He can feel the rest of the group groaning internally as she prattles on about a timeline inaccuracy compared to her research and general historical knowledge, and how that would explain some sort of discrepancy in something or other… 

The tour guide, again, appears flustered and does their best to answer it. Ben drapes an arm around her shoulders and kisses her ear. 

“This is a ghost tour, go easy; you can quiz the museum guy tomorrow.” 

She smiles into his coat, and stays under his arm as they continue their walk. She refrains from asking any additional questions, choosing instead to whisper whatever she knows to be true in his ear with a little kiss to the patch of skin behind it. He smacks his lips against her cold nose when the tour ends. 

“Wanna grab a drink somewhere?” 

Her fingers close around the lapels. “Uh huh.” 

“Kay, Henry recommended a place,” he sighs when her mouth find his. She’s wearing boots and he has to crane down to meet her, but it’s totally worth it for her eager kisses. Her hands slip under his coat and she grins. 

“Okay, a drink and then bed.” 

“You’re tired?” he lifts an eyebrow. She giggles and his throat tightens with the way her gaze slants. Fuck, this is awesome. Leslie's eyes honing like she wants to completely undo him between the sheets sends a chill down his spine. 

“Oh,” and a gulp is all he can manage. 

She smirks and kisses him again. 

***** 

“I don’t know what to call you,” Leslie sighs, cinching her robe and climbing onto the fluffy, king-sized bed beside him. Ben tosses his computer to the side and lifts an arm as she cuddles into his chest. Her hair’s damp and curling and smells like the hotel shampoo. They’d had a nice, quiet dinner and had opted to come straight back to the room after. She’s tired from excursions with Ellie all day, and he’s emotionally exhausted from the phone conversation he’d had with Ann that afternoon right before Leslie'd breezed in with a lot of shopping bags. 

“You don’t know what to _call me_?” he teases, tucks a curl behind her ear and sticks out his hand. “Hi, Ben Wyatt, nice to meet you. We had sex this morn - ”

She swats at him with a laugh and then snuggles down. It’s kind of ridiculous how just looking at her makes him want to smile. His chest aches with love and it’s still insane to think she feels the same. That she’s as deliriously happy as he is. There’s a precarious bubble of emotion in his chest and any second he might just start sobbing into her lap for no reason. His stomach burns when he thinks about what he’s about to do, what they’re about to be. He’d told Ann on the phone that no matter how impulsive it sounded, this was the most sure he’d been about anything in his entire life...which got him an “awwww, you idiot” in response. 

He is an idiot. He’s an idiot who’s still having trouble seeing straight he’s so happy and he hasn’t even done it yet. 

“I mean, I know you’re my boyfriend or whatever, I guess, but just…after everything…” her fingers slide through his. “I mean to people who know you I can just call you Ben, but to other people…” 

“What do you want to call me?” 

“There just isn’t anything that feels adequate,” there’s the faintest hint of a annoyance in her tone. “Do you know what I mean?” 

“Uh huh,” he strokes her arm; he totally knows what she means. He's had plenty of girlfriends and whatever Leslie is, has been, is a thousand times more than that. He looks at her and sees his future, not someone to have dinner and sex with a few times a week. 

“Hey, is my phone under your pillow?” 

He hopes she can’t tell he’s shaking as he watches her peel away and slide her hand under it. Leslie stiffens when her fingers brush the velvet box and her eyes go wide. 

“Oh my god…” 

His own eyes are stinging already. Crap. 

“Leslie Knope,” he shifts as she removes her hand slowly and her mouth drops at the small red box. He plucks it away and moves to his knees, peeling back the lid and displaying the ring. 

“I have basically been in love with you for half of my life and I know you said no regrets, but this…I’ll regret every minute more I don’t do this because I’m supposed to be with you forever and I think I’ve known that for a really long time so,” fuck, his vision is blurring and her eyes are already shining with tears. “Will you - ?” 

“ - Oh my god,” it’s breathless, choked and strained. Ben gulps down the lump in his throat. 

“Will you - ”

“ - Oh my god, Ben!” she swipes at her cheeks. “You have a ring!” 

“I do, yeah, so will you - ”

“Yes!” 

He drops the box and grabs her, cupping the back of her head and kissing her slowly with everything - every emotion he can muster. It’s salty from her tears and she’s glowing warmth. One of them hiccups a sob, but it's impossible to tell who. 

“Just so we’re clear, I meant marry me,” he mumbles. 

“Ohhh damn, I thought you just wanted to give me expensive jewelry.” 

Ben snorts and kisses her again, longer, tongue searching out hers. It’s been five days and already it seems like they’ve been doing this forever, like his lips were made to be pressed against hers and her jaw was cut to fit perfectly in his palms. 

He gets to be that - the guy who holds her hand when she waits for election results and kisses her when she wins; her first call for everything and the person she crawls into bed beside every night; the guy who winds around her when she’s feeling unnerved or shaken and the first person to congratulate her when she’s on top of the world. 

He’s been most of these things for many years, but in the back of his mind he was waiting to be replaced, waiting for the love of her life to come along and unseat him. He pictured someone taller, broader, with less plaid shirts; less neurotic, less cynical and not a coward. Someone who appreciated her greatness but didn’t have to stop to catch their breath occasionally because they were just in awe of her… 

But as it turns out, all along, that wasn’t what she wanted or was waiting for. She’s been waiting for him to get his shit together, waiting for and wanting him to ask to be that guy. 

Fuck, he really is going to start blubbering now. 

“So, how does Saturday work for you?” he manages, her face still cradled between his hands. 

“ _What_?” 

“This Saturday - wanna get married?” 

“…are you serious?” 

“We don’t have to,” his slides down and hugs her waist. “I totally get if you want to…plan something and pick a dress with Ann and all…” he gestures at the air. “All that stuff. But I was thinking...if you were game…would you want to…and then I can just start introducing you as my wife.” 

 Leslie starts to cry more and he drags his lips along her jaw. God, her skin tastes so sweet. He’d kissed it a few times before, but now he can savor it, linger as long as she’ll let him, take his time. He’ll marry her and then spend the holidays and their honeymoon memorizing every inch of her he should’ve had memorized long ago. That sounds like an exceptional way to end the year. 

“Because they say you should marry your best friend, right? And I kind of hate the thought of not being married to you for much longer…And then we can show up for our respective family Christmases married and then we can be like ‘oh, can’t stay late Mom, we’re doing our own family Christmas, me and the wife’.” 

“Oh my god, that is the most romantic thing anyone’s ever said to me,” she holds his cheeks and he grins sheepishly. Sometimes, a lot of the time, she makes him feel pretty unbreakable. 

“Yes,” she squeaks. “Okay, yes let’s do it, but I still need to - ”

“- Call Ann.” 

“Right. And figure some things out and maybe go shopping for something to wear and - ”

She sighs when he kisses her again. “I already told Ann, preparations are started. Call in the morning.” 

“Mhmm, I love you so much.” 

He tips her beneath him and winds her legs around his hips. “I love you too,” he nips at her lips and starts moving down her neck. His fingers dart for the belt of her robe and she arches into his hands before swatting at him. 

“No, no no, wait, let me - mhmm - I have to call Ann tonight before it’s too late, and then we can - ” she cackles when he blows a raspberry at the swell of her breast. 

“You and Ann are gonna want to talk for hours, call in the morning,” he tilts her chin to open her mouth and slides his tongue until she moans. She giggles against his lips when he flails for the box and wiggles it in front of her. 

He’s on borrowed time and he might, if he’s lucky, get to bury himself between her thighs before she finally cracks and just _has_ to call Ann. He'll take what he can get. 

“Okay,” he laughs when she flips him and tosses her robe. “God, you sure you want to marry me?”

“Uh huh.” 

She dips and brushes her lips over his throat. 

“Can I have my ring?” 

He pulls her hand up and kisses her knuckles before slipping it on. She starts to tear again and Ben sits up to brush her cheeks and moves her back under him. 

“Mhmm,” she slides her hand through his hair as he flicks her nipple with his tongue. “Where did you get a ring?” 

“Henry has a guy.” 

“A ring guy?” 

“Uh huh.” 

“OH MY GOD - ” She smacks him and he grunts. “WHY DOES HENRY HAVE A RING GUY? IS HE - ”

“Yesss,” he peppers kisses against her stomach. “But probably in February. Her birthday.” 

“Oh my god that’s so exciting! I’m so happy for them!” She squirms beneath him. "Oh my gosh, we can be a professional trivia team and tour the country together, and I’ll make us official t-shirts and - ” 

“Well, you can’t say anything until he does it so plan that part later,” he sits back on his heels and takes her with him, nuzzling her neck. She’s such a goofball. 

“Oh my god, I’m so excited,” she declares breathlessly. “This is insane.” 

He rests his cheek against her skin and trails his thumb down her spine. Everything's bubbling out of her all at once; it’s like when she’s brainstorming work projects and nobody can tell where her mind’s going to jump to next. 

“You like it?” 

“The ring?” 

“Mhmm.” 

“Uh huh, I love it,” she presses her lips to his hair and rubs his neck and they just…breathe. They breathe in tandem with their arms around each other and take in everything and exist a little overwhelmed and impulsive together. 

Which is basically the most accurate description there is of the last few days - impulsive and overwhelmed, but together. 

“How about I get us some champagne and we have a sexy bath and celebrate for real,” she suggests into his skin. 

Everything they do has been sexy for the last four days. Sexy suitcase packing, sexy box moving, sexy dinner making - it basically just means they do what they would normally do only with a lot more touching and making out. 

“And while I’m running the bath you’ll call Ann to see what she’s done so far.” 

“I can’t wait until tomorrow, Ben, I’m sorry. I have to - ”

“Okay,” he smacks their lips together. “Okay, okay. Call Ann, but maybe we can just limit the planning tonight…?”

Because he really wants to have sex with his fiancee, and she’s only going to be his fiancee for the blink of an eye.

Leslie kisses him slowly. “Twenty minutes, just to tell her about the ring and see how things are going since I only have _two days_ and there’s a lot to figure out, and oh god, should we go home early? Do you think we’ll be able to plan everything while we’re here - ”

“Yes,” he kisses her nose. “It will be fine, I promise.” 

She devors him with her lips and whispers he’s the _sexiest, most considerate fiance ever_ and he feels so light he could start floating. 

“Okay,” she takes a deep breath. “Okay, okay, no you’re right," she pecks his lips. “Go - ”

“Champagne, bath, etcetera,” he covers her back up with her robe and kisses her hair while she frantically finds Ann’s number in her phone. There’s no way this conversation is going to last twenty minutes - triple that, minimum. 

Ahh well, this is the woman he’s chosen to love. 

And marry.

Holy shit, they're getting married.

***** 

He’d fallen asleep waiting for her to get off the phone with Ann. No champagne had been ordered and no bath had been run, instead he’d just set his head in her lap and let her stroke his hair while they discussed every possible thing involved in planning a wedding in two days and Leslie pondered aloud if Mayor Gunderson would attend. 

Ann had apparently asked where he was during the conversation, to which Leslie had replied “ _Right here_ ” and shot him a sweet smile. He had a feeling Ann was trying to tacitly suggest she spend a little less time on the guest list and a little more time paying attention to him, but Ben didn’t mind. He knew what he was getting himself into when he suggested a wedding two days from now. She’d make it up to him later. 

Later, as it turns out, is around dawn the next morning, with lazy kisses all over his face and throat and her soft giggle vibrating through him. 

“I’m sorry,” she whispers, but he can hear the smile in her voice. “This is what happens when I only get two days to plan a wedding, Ben.” 

“S’okay,” he rolls into her and hugs her waist. “What time’d you finish with Ann?” 

“You’d been snoring for a while.” 

He snorts and kisses her shoulder with his eyes still closed. “Too bad you agreed to marry me.” 

“Too bad,” she agrees, rubbing her pelvis against his and hooking her ankle around his calf. Ben groans and pushes up a little, kissing her ear, along her jaw and finding her lips. 

“Mhmm morning, fiancee.” 

“Morning,” their kisses are slow, lazy, even though her muscles are taut with anticipation. She rubs her foot over his. 

“How’d you sleep?” 

“Great,” he bumps his nose against her neck. Actually, how did he get under the covers? Did she move him? And when had she changed into a t-shirt and pajama pants? He lifts his head and blinks at the “Leslie and Ben Wedding Planning Scrapbook” with a cartoon drawing of a four tier wedding cake and a fairly accurate looking cake topper now resting on the nightstand. 

“Did you go out?” he blinks. Her cheeks colour. 

“Just to the car. I brought supplies in case you were sleeping late one morning and I wanted to start an Our First Vacation scrapbook, and it’s a good thing I did, because babe,” she holds his face in her hands. “WE’RE GETTING MARRIED!” 

He winces at the volume, but smiles when she kisses him firmly. He’s just starting to push her back into the pillows when she squirms away. Ben sighs. 

“You wanna show me the wedding planning scrapbook, don’t you?” 

She grins and nods. “You know me so well.” 

Ben kisses her sloppily a dozen more times before finally releasing her and snuggling down into his pillow. 

“Alright, hit me,” he declares when she comes back to bed and spreads the book open on her propped up knees. 

“Okay _so_ ,” she takes a breath. “How do you feel about JJ’s catering?” 

Ben just grins into her side.


End file.
